LUCKNOW: Senior pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and patron of Sanskar Bharati, Baba Yogendra, passed away following prolonged illness, on Friday. He was 98.
Baba Yogendra breathed his last due to kidney failure around 8am at Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) where he was under treatment for the last few days.
Wrapped in the tricolour, the dead body was kept at Bharti Bhawan where the art connoisseurs and others payed last tribute to the Baba. Whereas, it got cremated by his nephew at Bhaisakund near gomti river banks with full state honour.
Born on January 7, 1924, in Basti, Baba Yogendra came into contact with RSS pracharak Nanaji Deshmukh during his student days in Gorakhpur and became a pracharak. He worked in Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Bareilly, Badaun and Sitapur.
When Sanskar Bharati was formed in 1981, he was entrusted with the organisational work. He is also known for his contribution to the fields of music, theatre, literature, sculpture, archeology and fine arts.
Baba made Lucknow his 'karmbhoomi' but worked for the promotion of art and culture in the entire country and received a number of awards, including the prestigious Padma Shri (2018).
Condolences poured in from across the country after the news of his demise spread. A condolence meet was organized at Bhartendu Natya Academy. BNA director Dinesh Khanna and secretary Ravishankar Khare said, "Baba was a source of inspiration fir many artists and his simplicity influenced them a lot."